Boenicke W5 SE

These were the clear winners at the WHT show in Bonn/ Germany yesterday: huge soundstage, solid bass, musical midrange and nice detailed, but not to the least extent sharp highs. I was so impressed, that I asked if they could play the small ones as well.

You can probably imagine my facial expression when they told me that it was actually the small Boenicke W5 SE that were playing. I kid you not.

Based on a first audition at show conditions these clearly do better my Harbeth 3PSR I have been looking to replace. This is the hot candidate now, blowing away both Dyn Special Forty and TAD ME1 by not a small margin. Home audition forthcoming.

Don’t be fooled by the diminutive size, they’re really good. Easily outplaying e.g. the Trenner & Friedl ART due to a more balanced sound.



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There are actually three versions of the W5: The standard and the SE (the latter is about a grand more) and an SE+. Have still to quiz the dealer a bit for the difference between the two.

They are small in size, but offer a big sound and will demand a punchy amp to elicitate the great sound - sensitivity 83-86 db depending on frequency range.

This is going to be my color:
146b3e5447c235abfbdcd2f4baf66aaf.jpg



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Here are the differences between the versions (I heard the W5 SE):

Standard Version
- 5.25″ long throw bass driver, tuned to 65 Hz, 1st order crossover
- 3″ widebander, 1st order high pass filter, unique electromechanical parallel resonator installed.
- Internal wiring orientation-optimised silk-wrapped high-frequency stranded litz
- WBT NextGen binding posts
- Rear ambient tweeter

SE Version
- longer stroke bass driver running without crossover, tuned to 50 hz
- Added electromechanical parallel resonator to bass
- Different crossover layout, added Duelund Silver Foil 0.01 uF bypass capacitor

SE+ Version
- Added electromechanical series resonators to both drivers, all parallel and series resonators of STAGE II type
- Added proprietary acoustic phase linearisation network


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the W5 was on my radar last year when i was looking for a compact monitor for another system. the dealer network is basically non-existent in the US save for Audio Prana. Fred quoted me 4450 for the standard W5 w/ stands and 6500 for the SE model. not exactly chump change for a tiny speaker that could easily be mistaken for desktop computer speakers.

My zeal for them has subsided, but I still want to hear them!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftuo2DGTLaI
 
puroagave said:
the W5 was on my radar last year when i was looking for a compact monitor for another system. the dealer network is basically non-existent in the US save for Audio Prana. Fred quoted me 4450 for the standard W5 w/ stands and 6500 for the SE model. not exactly chump change for a tiny speaker that could easily be mistaken for desktop computer speakers.

My zeal for them has subsided, but I still want to hear them!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftuo2DGTLaI
Click to expand...

So Rob, what did you end up with instead?


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Kuoppis said:
There are actually three versions of the W5: The standard and the SE (the latter is about a grand more) and an SE+. Have still to quiz the dealer a bit for the difference between the two.

They are small in size, but offer a big sound and will demand a punchy amp to elicitate the great sound - sensitivity 83-86 db depending on frequency range.

This is going to be my color:
146b3e5447c235abfbdcd2f4baf66aaf.jpg



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Click to expand...

Nice!
 
João Miguel said:
Hi Kuopis, did you get the Boenicke W5 speakers...? Boenicke owner here... :P
Click to expand...

Hi Joao Miguel, I really liked them the first time I heard them, but don’t seem to get myself to replace the Harbeths. I’m still undecided.

But I hope you enjoy your Boenickes.


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Kuoppis said:
Hi Joao Miguel, I really liked them the first time I heard them, but don’t seem to get myself to replace the Harbeths. I’m still undecided.

But I hope you enjoy your Boenickes.


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Click to expand...

I know the felling, had Dynaudio for the last 15 years, Special 25, X12, Focus 160. Recently demo the Special 40 and the New Contour 20, and believe me, it wasn’t easy to turn by back on Dynaudio for the first time ever.... That shows how impressed I was with this puppies when I listen to them for the first time... Like Sven Boenicke say: “Swiss Happiness in a Box”
 

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